We are open to residents 365 nights a year from 6pm to 8.30am. We are also now open all day on Sundays. During the weekdays and on Saturday mornings, residents can spend time at Trinity Winchester’s nearby day centre.

All residents are asked to pay £2.00 per night once in receipt of benefits, or £10 if in employment. This is one of the ways in which we help residents improve their budgeting skills as an important part of preparing for independent living.

House agreement

We try to keep the Nightshelter safe for all our vulnerable residents, volunteers and staff, and therefore ask everyone who stays with us to respect our 'house agreement':

Drug and alcohol free shelter

To keep the Nightshelter safe for all, we do not allow alcohol, illegal drugs or ‘legal highs’/NPSs (new psychoactive substances) to come on site. We will test all residents prior to entry for their alcohol levels on a nightly basis.

The aim of the Nightshelter is to work with people in housing need and this includes those who currently use a range of ‘legal highs’/NPSs and illegal drugs as well as alcohol. We offer specialist on-site support, as well as links to off-site support organisations, for those coping with drug or alcohol addictions.

We also have a duty of care; to promote well-being, to reduce harm and to ensure the safety of all our residents, volunteers or staff members. It is for these reasons that staff are authorised to undertake random drug testing and a nightly test for alcohol (by breathalyser) before allowing entry into the Nightshelter. Many residents have also said that this policy has helped them to control their habit.

No animals

Sadly we cannot allow animals to stay at the Nightshelter, due to health, safety and insurance reasons.

Opening times

We open our doors at 6pm every night, after which residents can come in. All residents are encouraged to leave at around 8.30am for the day, when they can use the services and facilities at Trinity Winchester (day centre).

Residents who are engaging with our range of support services, which include floating support, counselling, budgeting workshops, breakfasts clubs, cookery sessions and more, are permitted to remain on site for their day-time appointments.

We also now stay open all day on Sundays, when residents are free to remain at the Nightshelter throughout the day if they wish.

Nights out/away

Once you have been given a bed at the Nightshelter, we hope that you will stay with us until we can find suitable, longer-term accommodation to meet your needs. We appreciate that sometimes our residents need to be out during the evening and/or overnight, however we ask residents to keep nights out/away to a minimum and to give staff advance warning.

Respect

Everyone who stays, volunteers and works at the Nightshelter expects and deserves respect.